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Ledroptha Curtain
Ledroptha Curtain is an old man with narcolepsy. He is the twin brother of Mr. Benedict and the main antagonist of the series. He is the founder of the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened. He regularly travels in a highly-powered, "souped-up" wheelchair. He is, in fact, quite physically strong and uses the wheelchair mainly to disguise the fact that he has narcolepsy, as a fit of sleeping will generally cause him to collapse if he is standing. History In The Mysterious Benedict Society Ledroptha lived in an old Dutch orphanage in the center of Amsterdam together with his brother Nicholas. As young boys everyone thought that Nicholas would become a genius and would be the one to be very successful, Nicholas moved to the USA. Mr. Curtain built very powerful turbines that would eventually be sold to the government. Mr. Curtain is the infamous creator of the menacing Whisperer, which somewhat controls people's minds (although a more appropriate phrase would be that The Whisperer sends messages that disorient the truth from people's minds and give them an illusion of something like The Emergency) and has power over their memories. Mr. Curtain, like his brother, has a bad case of narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a condition that causes you to fall asleep when you experience strong emotions such as fright, strong happiness, laughter, anger, and strong sadness. Mr. Curtain's full name may be viewed as a pun, as in "Le-DROP-tha(THE) CURTAIN." ''The Perilous Journey'' Mr. Curtain's brother, Nicholas Benedict finds out about an extremely rare plant—duskwort (translucidus somniferum)—that may cure his narcolepsy. It is so rare that it is considered extinct, but Mr. Benedict's and Mr. Curtain's parents, found living specimens of the plant, in an undisclosed location. Mr. Benedict and his assistant, the pencil-like Number Two, go off in search of the plant, and the island. They are captured by Mr. Curtain, who also wants the plant. He, however, does not know where the plant is, and only knows the island that it is on. After Mr. Benedict's capture, Reynard "Reynie" Muldoon, Kate Wetherall, George "Sticky" Washington, and Constance Contraire go to his aid. They are later accompanied by Kate's father Milligan. After following a series of clues, the children find Mr. Curtain on an isolated island in a cave, pretending to by Mr. Benedict, chained to a stalagmite. His prisoner, Mr. Benedict, is chained to Mr. Curtain's wheelchair. The purpose of it was for the children to "free" Mr. Curtain. However, Reynie notices that it is Mr. Curtain. Nevertheless, all four children are chained, including Mr. Benedict, by Mr. Curtain's assistant SQ Pedalian. Mr. Curtain soon obtains the location of the duskwort, which is an iridescent moss that grows on the stalactites and glows in the dark. This information is obtained with the agreement that he would not harm the children. However, when the children, Milligan, Mr. Benedict, and Number Two are back in Mr. Benedict's house, it is revealed that there is no duskwort—it was completely destroyed by a similar, but more powerful species. Mr. Curtain does not find a cure for his own narcolepsy. Quotes "Not again," Reynie mumbled, still dazed. "Oh yes," said Mr. Curtain. "Again." "Don't thank me, impress me!" "Control is key!" "Yes, I suppose it's time I relinquish control - at least I can control the relinquishing." "Your question betrays your naïveté, Reynard. Making things seem a way they aren't ''is making them better." "''I am exhulting, for it is not every day that one's plans, so painstakingly developed and so often delayed by resistance, finally, at long last, fall so perfectly into-''" "''You have spoiled my day, children. But as you can see, there is always the night. Now tell me, where has your protection gone? Can it possibly be that you have been left to fend for yourselves? Oh dear, how unfortunate for you!" "Risk? Caught? You dare suggest to ''me...''" Category:Characters Category:Orphans Category:Villains Category:The Benedicts